For… users, the potential pitfalls of [blanket] decriminalization are frightening and all too likely to happen. One fear they have about decriminalization is that authorities will drop criminal punishments, only to raise an oppressive regime of civil penalties – specifically, issuing tickets and fines… a fear is that… decriminalize [all] drugs, that’s where the experiment…
There were 8,903 drug simple drug possession arrests in the state in fiscal year 2018, according to the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission—or more than one every hour. The initiative has also been endorsed by more than 50 other organizations, including ACLU Oregon, United Seniors of Oregon, Oregon Latino Health Coalition, Oregon State Council For Retired Citizens, the NAACP…
As calls to divest, defund and abolish local police agencies echo across the U.S., it is also time to elevate those calls to apply to federal paramilitary agencies including the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). As a first step, Congress must open an investigation into the DEA and immediately oppose the use of federal resources to…
More broadly though, [NORML Political Director Justin Strekal] connected this expansion of DEA powers to how the DEA has enforced the drug war far beyond cannabis… [for 14 days starting June 2nd, 2020]. “Drug enforcement agents should not be conducting covert surveillance of protests and First Amendment protected speech,” [said Hugh] Handeyside, a senior attorney…
